Greece will be the honored country in Marché du Film of Cannes Film Festival for the 2027 event, which will be held by 11 to 19 May of the same year.
The Marché du Film is the largest film market in the world and runs alongside the Cannes Film Festival, but with a completely different character. It is not an organization of screenings or awards, but a purely professional space of the global film industry. There, producers, distribution companies, studios, streaming platforms and film organizations meet to close deals on financing, production and distribution of films, as well as to develop international co-productions.
With a thematic focus of “Ride the Greek Wave” (on the Greek wave), as reported by Deadline, the event will celebrate the “impressive rise of Greece as one of the leading European hubs of audiovisual production”, as the announcement states.
The award comes at a time of particular mobility for the Greek audiovisual industry, as the country will also host the European Film Awards in January 2027, further strengthening its international presence.
The Marché du Film noted that Greece’s international cinematic potential has also been strengthened through his contribution George Lanthimoswho has presented five films in the official Cannes program, winning important distinctions, such as the prize in the category “Un certain regard” (“Un certain regard”) for “Canines“, the Commission’s award for “Lobster” and the Screenplay Award for “Death of the sacred deer».
At the same time, Greece is on the rise as an international filming destination, thanks to competitive investment incentives, diverse landscapes and the development of a strong and organized production ecosystem.
According to the data presented, the Greek audiovisual sector contributes approximately 1.9 billion euros to the national economy, supports approximately 44,000 jobs and includes almost 3,000 companies active in production, post-production, animation and related creative services.
The choice of Greece is also based on Marché du Film’s long-term cooperation with Greek institutions, such as the Hellenic Center for Cinema and Audiovisual Media and the Thessaloniki International Film Festival, which have a constant presence in Cannes every year.
As stated by the executive director of the Marché du Film Guillaume EsmiolGreece “expresses the spirit of creativity, extroversion and international cooperation that the Country of Honor initiative seeks to highlight”, while the managing director of EKKOMED, Leonidas Christopoulosspoke of an important international recognition and opportunity to promote the Greek creative ecosystem.
Mr. Christopoulos, stated: “We are really very happy and proud that Greece has been chosen as an Honored Country at the Marché du Film 2027. This distinction is both an important recognition and a unique opportunity to present the dynamic creative ecosystem of Greece on the international stage. Today, Greece is a place where cinematic heritage meets modern talent, innovation and international collaboration.”
